Safety device for firearms



y 7, L. R. S'IY'UYVESANT 1 \SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Filed April 27, 1929 (1410': we o Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES arana" OFFICE SAFETY DEVICE on FIREARMS Application filed April 27,

' The invention relates to safety devices for firearms.

The various types of automatic firearms now in use, while provided with certain safe- 5 guards to prevent accidental and unintentional firing, have been found to be unsafe even to those familiar with such when carrying, cleaning, or handling the firearm. Naturally, to those unfamiliar with the use thereof, the danger of accidental and unintentional firing is tremendously increased.

The reason for this appears to he that the majority of safety devices now provided are so placed on the firearm as to render their operation unnoticed or difficult of notice by those rasping the butt of the piece. Consequently, it may happen that the firearm will be in operative position, and slight pressure on the trigger will cause firing. This is particularly true in the automatic revolvers,

which have a safety deviceconforming totheshape of the butt at the extreme rear thereof, and which, when pressed, releases the trigger and firing mechanism from a locked position.

In some instances, additional safety means are provided in this type of firearm, such as a safety leverwhich is pivoted on the side of the frame adjacent the butt, and which slides into recessesin the breech-side when the latter is in closed or open position. Such safety looks, when manipulated, remain in either operative or inoperative position, as desired. When in inoperative or an open position, the opportunity for accidental and unintentional firing becomes probable, for, bysimply grasping the butt for firing, the primary safety device attached thereto also will be thrown out of operative locking position. Unless and until the breech-slide safety device is again pushed into locking position, the firearm is, of course, dangerous to handle and memory must be entirely relied upon to recall the necessity of manipulating the breechslide safety device, and observation of its position must be made to determine whether the firearm is safe. 7 v

With this situation clearly in mind, it is the object of this invention to provide a safety locking means which will be absolutely fool-proof.

1929. Serial No. 358,601.

Another object of theinvention is toprovide a positive and automatic safety locking means. i

Another object of the invention is to provide safety locking means which is normally urged or moved'toward'its safety position, and, requires, at all times, manipulation to disengage the device from operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety locking means which, after each firing, whether one shot or the whole magazine is fired, will become operative for safety locking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety locking means which may be applied to any firearm of the type described without changing or disturbing the mecha nism thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to 1 provide a safety locking means which is simple in construction, not liable to breakage, and inexpensive to manufacture. V

With these and other objects in mind, one embodiment of the invention is shown the drawings, in which:

V Figure 1 is a side view of ing the invention, v Figure 2 is a top view of the firearm, Figure 3 is a partial side view of the firearm showing the inner construction of the in vention, v V I Figure 4 is a detail of'the trigger and ham,- mer'mechani'sm of one type of firearmto which my inventionmay be applied. V

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which an automatic revolver of theBrowning type is used, for example only, and which, in itself, forms no part of the present invention, except as in combination with the safety locking means, 1 indicates the frame having the butt handle. 2, barrel 3,, trigger guard 4, and trigger 5. The breech-slide 6, of usual a firearm showconstruction, is provided with recesses 7 and 8, to lock said breech-slide in recoiled and normal positions, respectively.

Attached to the frame of the firearm, adj acent and slightly above the butt handle, is the safety lever 9, which is pivoted at 10 on a pin' extending through the frame, and is I provided with a projection 11 adapted to engage and interlock with the recesses 7 and 8 in the breech-slide 6, and a thumb rest 12 shaped to comfortably conform to the thumb.

Directly below the safety lever 9, and attached in any convenient manner to the side of the butt handle, is a pressure exerting means 13, comprising, in the particular instance shown in the-drawings, a cylindrical member 14 having a fiat member 15 integral therewith, provided with screw holes and screws therein for attaching .to thefirearm. The cylindrical member'l l contains a spring 16 abutting the bottom, whichspifesseszagainst the plunger or spring bolt 17 which, it will be observed, is rounded'a'titsupper end l8 to give frictionless contact. The pressure exerting means 13 may be mounted in any suitable manner, and, ashere shown, is sunk 1nto a properlysized space out in the wooden side pieces 19 ofthe butt handle, and when correctly placed does not appreciably protrude beyond said wooden side pieces, and, therefore, in no way interferes with the grasping of the butt handle.

The rod17 is always in contact'with, and exerts constant pressure against, the locking lever 9 to urge-the lattermember alwaystoward the breech-slide and into engagement with the recesses therein. The "pressure of the spring, however, must not be so great' as to cause undue efior'ton thepart of'theperson using the piece, otherwise such eifort'would tend to impair the accuracy 'ofaimin'g.

Protruding .slightly from the back ofthe butt handle'is the'usual grip lever 20, which operates when compressed to release thetriggerfromalocke'd position and forms'the primary safety means of this "particular type 'offirearm. V

The trigger and hammer mechanism, as shown in Figure 4:, is of'the-'-usual ty pe,and is illustrated 'merely to show the relation'between such mechanism and" the safety device of my invention with this type of firearm. The grip lever 20 thesearEZl, and the-hammer 22 are all of usual construction and operate in the usual manner, the sear havinga stud 23 which isadapted vto-en'gage a' emcee carried by the lever 9 and operatingthrough a suitable'slotorsegmentzil opening inthe frame, so that, as the manualsafety-lever 9 is manipulated,the stud 24 will'perform its usual interlocking-and releasing functions for the firingmechanism. This mechanism being old and well known, further description of it and its'operation is not deemed necessary, but for a full understanding ofmy invention, it is illustrated in-its conventional form and described.

Experts in the firingof revolvers recommend, in order to obtain maximum marks- 111anship,that-the thumb beheld "parallehto and against the barrel. IVitlrthe-invention here disclosed, it is required that-thethunib be in this'position in'orderto release, a'nd hold theithumb pieceof my automaticnsafety lock,

the breech-slide will immediately become se- .curely locked,so that no matter if any other safety device PI'OVlClGCl becomes moperative, the gun-cannot'possibly be fired, thereby ehminating theprobability of accidental andunintentional discharge. 7

It is understood that the invention comprising .the automatic and positive safety lockin means not onlymayform an attachment to firearms of the type described, but also may be a part of the original mechanism and'be constructed asshown in the drawings.

It is also particularly understood that the automatic and positive safety locking means can be placed in other relations than that here shown to illustrate the invention, and perform the function for which it is intended.

I claim:

1. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable breech-slide, a safety device to hold said slide in a predetermined position, and means tending always :tohold said device positively in engagement with said slide.

2. In aiirearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable breech-slide, a safety device to hold said slide in any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, and means tending always to hold said device positively in engagement with said slide.

3. In a firearm, the combination ofa frame, a 'barrel, a movable breech-slide, a safety device to-hold said slide in a predetermined position, and automatic means tending always to hold said device positively in engagement with said slide.

4. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, abarrel, amovable breech-slide, a safetydevice to hold said slide in a predetermined position, and resilient means tending always tohold said devicepositively in engagement withsaid-slide.

5. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable'breeclrslide, a safetydevice to hold said slide in a predetermined position,and a spring bolt tending always to hold said device always in position to positively engage said slide.

6. In a firearm, the combination ofa frame, a barrel, a =movable breech-slide, a manually operableilever tohold said slide in a predetermined position, and means'tendingalways'to hold said lever positively in engagement with said slide.

7 In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable breech-slide, and a springimpelled lever tending always to positively engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a breech-slide movable to a plurality of different positions, and a spring-impelled lever tending always to positively engage and hold said slide in at least one of its different positions.

9. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a breech-slide movable to a plurality of different positions, and a spring-impelled lever tending always to positively engage and hold said slide in any one of its different positions.

10. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a breech-slide movable to a plurality of different positions, firing means, safety mechanism to hold said slide and firing means against movement when each is in a predetermined position, and means tending to move said safety mechanism always into engagement with said slide and firing means.

11. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable breech-slide, firing means, a manually-operable safety lever to engage said slide and hold it in predetermined position, means operable on movement of said'lever to lock said firing means, and means tending tomove said lever and said lock always into safety position.

12. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a movable breech-slide, firing means, a manually-operable safety lever to engage said slide and hold it in predetermined position, a locking device for said firing means on said lever, and spring means engaging said lever and tending to move said lever and locking device always into safety posi tion.

13. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a'safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position,

comprising a spring member in engagement with said lever and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide.

14. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a spring-projected bolt engaging and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide.

15. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a bolt-housing adjacent said lever, and a spring-projected bolt in said housing engaging and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide.

16. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a removable bolt-housing attached to the firearm adjacent said lever, and a spring-projected bolt in said housing engaging and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide.

17. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a bolt-housing, a spring projected bolt in said housing engaging and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide, and means carried by said bolt-housing for detachably se curing the attachment to the firearm.

18. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a bolt-housing, a spring projected bolt in said housing engaging and tending always to positively move said lever into safety engagement with said slide, and means integral with said housing for detachably securing the attachment to the firearm.

19. An attachment for a firearm having a breech-slide and a safety lever to engage and hold said slide in a predetermined position, comprising a removable bolt-housing having an integral rib thereon and adaptedto be seated in a recess in the butt of the firearm in substantial conformity with the contour thereof, and a spring projected boltin said housing engaging and tending to move said lever always into safety engagement with said In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

, LEWIS RUTHERFURD STUYVESANT. 

